Oxnard, California native and Top Rank junior welterweight star in the making “Vicious” Victor Ortiz, 19-1-1 (14), is about to go from prospect to contender status. His next test on his road to a championship is former 140 lb. titlist Carlos Maussa, 20-4 (18), on the undercard of next Saturday night’s Miguel Cotto vs. Shane Mosley super fight. It will be on the biggest stage of his life that Ortiz will find out if he can hang and bang with a former champion. I had the opportunity to speak with Ortiz during a media workout last week and was very impressed by the young man. He was quick with a joke and a smile and

seemed more like a twenty-year veteran with the press than a twenty-year-old prospect. When it came time to workout, however, it was easy to see why they call him Vicious as he pounded away with combos from his southpaw stance; those rights hook thundering through the gym. He seems an honest man with the right people surrounding him, a great promotional team known for developing fighters behind him, and a good head on his shoulders. Doghouseboxing.com welcomes Victor Ortiz.

Gabriel Montoya: So how’s training going?

Victor Ortiz: It’s going well. Just been in different gyms, you know. Making sure I stay in shape and try not to over eat (laughs).

GM: Is that a constant struggle?

VO: Well actually not really. To make my weight, 140, which is where I fight at, it’s not really too hard. I just kind of stay away from fattening foods and I make it pretty easy.

VO: No. I’ve seen a couple fights of his. Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. So those are very helpful and I can tell you he’s a tough guy. A very tough guy but I’ve been training hard and looking over the tapes.

GM: How do you prepare for a guy like that? He’s awkward. Really strange.

VO: You know they say he’s awkward but I don’t really see the awkwardness. I guess I’m going to have to take it a little slow in the fight. Not literally slow but kind of being careful. A little cautious because there are guys you watch sometimes on video you’re like ‘ahhh he’s not that great’ or ‘he’s not that complicated of a fighter’. But when you get in there you’re like ‘holy hell this guy’s weird’.

GM: Yeah. Yeah.

VO: It’s kind of like the guy Clottey. I’d seen videos on him before the fight and I figured he’s going to be…he can’t be that awkward. I got in the fight and he was an awkward fighter. But you know patience and the rounds kind of helped me get through it.

GM: When you go in do you have a game plan and you kind of adjust off of that?

VO: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

GM: Or do you like to see the guy and then figure it out?

VO: No, no, no. I have a game plan when I go in and I adjust off of that. Off the first, second round I start adjusting and I’ll tell you everything from there.

GM: You try and get as much video as you can?

VO: Honestly this last guy was the first guy I ever watched on video.

GM: Oh really?

VO: Yeah. Before that it was just going into the fight really cautiously, working off the rounds.

GM: And just trusting the corner to make the adjustments for you?

VO: Yeah. Exactly.

GM: How do you like the difference?

VO: It’s kind of the same. A little different maybe. Nowadays I kind of know what to expect from the other guy. What punches to be careful for. Whether he’s got a strong hook. A strong right. Something.

GM: How do you describe your style?

VO: I don’t know. People say it’s aggressive. It’s aggressive and cautious. So I guess I’m going off of that.

GM: You just look to do whatever is necessary?

VO: Yeah that’s it. I just go in and I do the job.

GM: A win is a win? It doesn’t matter if it’s exciting, knockout or whatever?

VO: Yeah. Of course. I don’t try and go in there for the knockout. If it comes it’s going to come.

GM: What’s it feel like for you when you knock somebody out?

VO: (Smiles) You know, it’s a wonderful feeling (Laughs). I just don’t want to experience that day (Laughs. Knocks the wood door next to us three times).